(Photo by Daniel Ogren, from Flickr)
J.K. Rowling took to Twitter Nov. 22 to condemn three trans activists who protested in front of her home, accusing them of deliberately leaking her address.
The “Harry Potter” author named comedian Holly Stars, actor Georgia Frost and drag performer Richard Energy in her Twitter thread that said they “carefully position[ed] themselves to ensure that our address was visible.”
Last Friday, my family’s address was posted on Twitter by three activist actors who took pictures of themselves in front of our house, carefully positioning themselves to ensure that our address was visible. 1/8
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 22, 2021
The activists, protesting past Rowling tweets that many have called transphobic, held signs that read “Trans liberation now,” “Don’t be a cissy” and “Trans rights are human rights,” according to Pink News.
Rowling claimed the protestors were “doxxing” her to “intimidate” her out of “out of speaking up for women’s sex-based rights.” She added: “They should have reflected on the fact that I’ve now received so many death threats I could paper the house with them, and I haven’t stopped speaking out.”
I have to assume that @IAmGeorgiaFrost, @hollywstars and @Richard_Energy_ thought doxxing me would intimidate me out of speaking up for women’s sex-based rights. They should have reflected on the fact that 7/8
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 22, 2021
She also named several writers who have made anti-LGBTQ comments in the past, saying they “have been subject to campaigns of intimidation which range from being hounded on social media, the targeting of their employers, all the way up to doxing and direct threats of violence, including rape.”
“None of these women are protected in the way I am,” she said. “They and their families have been put into a state of fear and distress for no other reason than that they refuse to uncritically accept that the socio-political concept of gender identity should replace that of sex.”
Over the last few years I’ve watched, appalled, as women like Allison Bailey, Raquel Sanchez, Marion Miller, Rosie Duffield, Joanna Cherry, Julie Bindel, Rosa Freedman, Kathleen Stock and many, many others, including women who have no public profile 4/8
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 22, 2021
In the wake of her tweets, the three activists have all either deleted their Twitter accounts or made them private.
In her widely condemned 2020 tweets, Rowling belittled trans people, saying, “‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”
‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?
Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate https://t.co/cVpZxG7gaA
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020
In response to the backlash, Rowling tweeted, “If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth. The idea that women like me, who’ve been empathetic to trans people for decades, feeling kinship because they’re vulnerable in the same way as women—i.e., to male violence—‘hate’ trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences—is a nonsense.”
If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020
“I respect every trans person’s right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them,” she continued. “I’d march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans. At the same time, my life has been shaped by being female. I do not believe it’s hateful to say so.”
Yet, many people, including trans rights experts, disagreed.
“There’s just no evidence that me being me is causing problems for any of the other women I’ve met,” tweeted Paris Lees, a trans journalist. “If there are ever any problems between women and trans women they should be dealt with sensitively and sensibly on a case by case basis. Please, for the love of God, leave us alone.”
There’s just no evidence that me being me is causing problems for any of the other women I’ve met
If there are ever any problems between women and trans women they should be dealt with sensitively and sensibly on a case by case basis
Please, for the love of God, leave us alone.
— Paris Lees (@parislees) June 10, 2020
